I have always been fascinated with the history and culture of Iran. I've learned about the Islamic Revolution during my World Civilizations class and did a whole project on it. I absolutely loved the graphic novel series called Persepolis I and II by Marjane Satrapi, which explored the revolution through the author's experiences. So when I came across a memoir about Iran, I was very excited to read it. Not only did I get a bit more information about the tumultuous relationship between Iran and the U.S., but also a terrifying account of being in prison for a crime one has not committed. 

Description: My Prison, My Home is a memoir by Halah Isfandiyari, who is the founding director of the Woodrow Wilson Center's Middle East Program. The author recounts her unnecessary imprisonment in Tehran's notorious Evin Prison. Esfandiari, an Iranian-American scholar,  was incarcerated in solitary confinement on bizarre, paranoid charges of aiding the American government in plotting to overthrow the Islamic Republic of Iran. While visiting her mother in Tehran during the holidays, she was robbed in a taxi, then detained in her mother's home for months before being hauled off to prison. Initially, she thought it was a simple robbery, but then it became as if she was on a watch list of the fearsome Ministry of Intelligence, who grilled her about seemingly irrelevant information. The author recounts her trial and her release.

Review: I thought this memoir was interesting. It seems that many of the books that I've read about Iranian-Americans, the authors have immigrated from Iran and haven't gone back after the Islamic Revolution. I was curious as to how this author would describe her trip back home for a visit since she currently lives in the U.S. That being said, I was more interested and curious about the author's childhood and upbringing than her trial. Although her trial was scary to read, it did seem tedious and could have been trimmed down a bit more. The author was treated fairly well considering the infamous reputation of the Evin prison. I also thought the transition between the author's trial and the history of Iran's politics could have been a bit smoother. The history, goes into detail about from the 1960s to the Islamic Revolution, but skims over from the 1980s to the present. I would have liked it if the author spent more time talking about today's strained relationship between Iran and the U.S. since that is what her trial was all about. 

Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: None. I do think this book is more geared towards adults than teens.

If you like this book, try: Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi

   Teenagers have it rough. Stuck between not being a child and not having the full rights as an adult is not a fun place to be. You are constantly surrounded by expectations of how you should behave by everyone around you. We all have heard of stories about coming of age, but what does that exactly mean? Perhaps it means developing your own identity and dealing with power struggles with the adults around you. These themes are certainly the center of Laurie Halse Anderson's book entitled Twisted.

Description: Tyler Miller wanted to change his social status at his high school. He longer wanted to be the butt of jokes and the human target of the bullies at his school. He thought doing a prank would make him noticeable. Spray painting and defacing school property made him a legend and allowed him to gain the reputation of a criminal. When a high school party turns serious, Tyler is implicated in a drunken crime. Did he do it?

Review: I generally really like Anderson's novels about teens. She can accurately and efficiently portray the struggles of today's teens. In Twisted, her first male centered novel, she is able to show how much pressure Tyler receives from his verbally abusive father, his challenging classes at school, and the social pressures from his peers. Although the novel suffers from some stereotypical characters such as the 'hard' father who is absorbed into his work, the uncaring principal, and the popular kids who get away with pretty much anything, and the dialogue seems to come from a generic PG-13 teen movie,  Tyler's struggle to stand up for himself and to become his version of what a mean should be with or without the help of his father is real. There is a good balance of humor and seriousness. Not one of my favorite books by Anderson, but nonetheless an enjoyable read.


Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: Mild language. Scenes of underage drinking.

If you like this book, try: Ironman by Chris Crutcher

   I'm not a fan of today's slasher movies that are currently running in the theaters today. For me, horror is not seeing someone getting stabbed countless of times with a knife. What is truly terrifying, to me, is something that is psychological and can't be explained. I remember reading Poe's A Tell Tale Heart and I could almost feel a heart beating in the background as I read the short story. After being so absorbed in looking through the world through Louis' eyes and his transformation of a human to the undead in Interview with the Vampire, I couldn't go to sleep for two weeks. I was terrified that Lestat would "turn" me just because he was bored and to see what would happen, which now seems foolish only because I'd rather have a conversation with Lestat than be afraid of him but I think you get my point. It has been a long time that I've read an intelligent, thought provoking YA horror book.




Review:  If you could take the George Romero’s 1968 film Night of the Living Dead and put into a book, you would get Carrie Ryan's The Forest of Hands and Teeth. I found the book to be very creepy. It is a perfect balance of horror without the gore with a bit of a romance story thrown in for good measure. I'm not a zombie girl, but I couldn't help liking this book. Although Mary's world is very bleak and often times chaotic, it is her hope and fortitude that allow her to keep going. What is frightening here is not really the Unconsecreated aka zombies, although there are numerous parts of the story where I had goosebumps while reading them, but the very idea of a life that is filled without choice or freedom is truly terrifying. Much of the story takes place in Mary's thoughts and at times can be a bit slow, but I found it hard to put down. Mary may be unlikeable to some people, but I liked how she never gave up her search and was very observant of others around her. I had many questions after finishing the book, especially as to how the Unconsecrated were created and why the villagers didn't know anything beyond their society. I was glad to know that there is a companion book called Dead Tossed Waves, which is now available.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of caution: There are graphic mutilations of the Unconsecrated aka zombies in the book, which gear more towards PG-13 than rated R. There is no sex or language.

If you like this book, try: Dead Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan or The Giver by Lois Lowry.

   To think and write an original story takes a lot of creativity, time, and patience. There is no harm in using other works of literature as an inspiration as long as you make it your own (i.e. give it your own spin). Shakepeare, for instance, is not known for the plot of his plays, but for his language and characters which were truly unique to him and what we remember to this day. I don't expect writers to become the next Shakespeare, but at the very least I do hope they write a good novel. Unfortunately, Jennifer Hubbard's The Secret Year does not even meet my lowest expectations.

    I’ve been a bit behind on reading the award winning books for children’s literature. When I found out that this year’s Newberry winning book, When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead, was inspired by one of my all time favorite books as kid, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engline, I knew I had to move this book up in my queue of ‘to be read books’.



Rating: 3 stars

If you like this book, try: A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

    There are so many books that focus on what is happening to the men during wars. Sure, I’ve read small paragraphs in my history textbooks that tell about how the women got into the workforce in order to help the soldiers and military overseas. Most of those careers that women held have been telephone operators and nurses, but I’ve never read a book that solely focused on the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) until I found Sherri Smith’s original and inspiring book called Flygirl.



Review: Flygirl is a rich, multilayered story about a less discussed piece of US military history during World War II. The book is simultaneously entertaining and informative. The main antagonist in the novel is not the foreign enemy, but the local enemy, i.e. prejudice- in terms of race and gender. Throughout her education in the WASP program, Ida Mae repeatedly asks herself whether or not she is telling a lie is not a black and white answer. She is, essentially, questioning how we identify ourselves. Are we not something deeper than the color of our skins or our sex?

Before this book, I knew nothing about navigating an airplane. I was excited to learn about flying and living vicariously through Ida Mae and her friends. I couldn’t help but cheer for them and I know that you will too after you read this book.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Words of caution: The ‘n’ word is used approximately 4 times in the novel.

Curriculum Connection: Social Studies, Gender Studies

Resources:

•  Flygirl Discussion guide
•  WASP website
•  National WASP World War II museum

If you like this book, try: Yankee Doodle Girls by Amy Nathan or On Silver Wings by Marianne Verges

    I found Gipi’s graphic novel, Notes for a War Story, on several lists created by the American Library Association (ALA). When I found it on the shelf from my public library, I decided to check it out. Initially, I thought the graphic novel was just another story about war, but Notes of a War Story tackles the issues surrounding what happens to people on the outskirts of war, particularly young men.



Review: I liked this graphic novel, but found it hard to read mainly because of the text box was so small and the frames of illustrations were squeezed tightly. The themes of isolation, loss of a family, and what it means to be a ‘man’ are universal and prevalent throughout this story. I had a hard time liking the characters though and felt that I had met them in several other books that I’ve read. They didn’t stand out to me and didn’t leave a lasting impression. I did like, however, the fact that the war wasn’t specifically defined. I had a sense that people that live on the fringes of society can and will identify with the character’s desire of working in crime operations, their struggle to survive, the longing of a caring family, and the constant clash of social classes.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Words of Caution: There is strong language throughout the graphic novel. Since the story takes place during a war setting, violence does take place but mostly occur off stage. Recommended to mature high school students and adults.

If you like this book, try: Kampung Boy or Town Boy by Lat

Review: I enjoyed this book. I really liked Miranda and could connect to her plight. Readers are introduced to the folklore surrounding Selkie Island, which is what kept me reading. I wish that the author could have elaborated a bit more on the folklore. While the plot and Leo’s mysterious past are quite predictable, I did like the blending and equal balance of the supernatural, romance, and mystery genres. I would recommend this to girls who are looking for a quite clean YA romance book.

Rating: 3 stars

Word of caution: There is a hint of sex, but it’s very small that you could possibly read over it and not notice. There is some language and a few scenes of underage drinking. I would recommend it for 7th grade and up.

If you like this book, try: The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

   I had never heard of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series until I began my student teaching in an elementary school. Students clamored for this book every period. The library had a waiting list of at least 15 students per book. I even had to prevent numerous heated arguments from escalating and had to quickly use my reading advisory skills to provide readalikes. The series has taken the children’s literature by storm. There are currently five books in the series and a movie based on the first book. All throughout my student teaching, I kept asking myself: What is the Wimpy phenomenon? In order to search for the answer, I tried to check it out from the library, but I failed since it was constantly checked out. So when I saw it on sale at a used library book sale for $1, I decided to buy it and give it a shot.

  This following post is brought to you by my very good friend, Julie Morra. I had asked Julie to guest blog for me while I catch up on some of my reading and reviews. Thanks, Julie!



Words of Caution: Enthusiasm does fall into the teen romance genre so I would recommend it for ages 13 and up.

If you liked this book, you might also try: Scrambled Eggs at Midnight by Brad Barkley.

  Graphic novels usually get a bad reputation from the literary world. Some readers dismiss it as a book filled with "cartoons and superheroes". Some even go further and denounce the value of the form as being lesser than the novel. I would argue that graphic novels are actually harder to read than your regular book. A reader of graphic novels needs to not only read the written text, but also the illustrations, which is not so easy to do. The graphics are not simply 'there' just for the sake to make it look pretty, but they bring in another dimension of the character's personality along with symbolism, themes, and metaphors used throughout the graphic novel. A big misconception is that all graphic novels deal with superheroes or are fictitious. Though superheroes are a big cannon in the graphic novel industry, they are not everything. One example of a rich, multilayered, nonfiction graphic novel is Joe Kubert's Fax from Sarajevo.


If you like this book, try: Maus I and Maus II by Art Spiegelman

  I have read many books about the horrors of the Holocaust, but have read very few that particularly focuses on the Hitler Youth. The Hitler Youth were created I first heard of Helmuth Hubener's story in Susan Campbell Bartoletti's phenomenal nonfiction book called Hitler Youth. Helmuth was a 17 year old boy who tried to spread the truth about Nazi Germany by creating flyers. He was tried and convicted of treason by the Nazi Regime. Bartoletti's The Boy Who Dared is a historical ficition book that explores the heroic life of this teenager who wanted to do something right even if that meant breaking the law and losing his life.



Review: Helmuth's story is very powerful and inspiring. He wants to be patriotic and a man of honor. When Hitler rises in power he, like other Germans, can see why Hitler could be good for the country. Just like many others he gets sweeped up with the hysteria of a new hope for the broken down Germany. After watching his rights and fellow citizen's rights slowly disappear, he begans to question authority and realizes what the whole regime is really about.

  The book flips back and forth from the present to memories Helmuth has leading up to why he is in jail. The voice of the narrator is consistent and gives you a good insight of how Helmuth changes from a little boy who does what he is told to an independent young adult thinker. Although his character development is solid, I did find his disillusionment with the Nazi Regime happen too quickly. I would have also liked to have read what Helmuth's family thought about his actions and his fate.

   From this book, I learned that there was actually LDS chruch and members in Germany in the 1930s, which I wasn't aware of till now. His faith plays a big part in the story and ultimately will be seen as the major catalyst and reason as to why he wants to fight the injustice he sees.

I'm glad that the author stuck to her facts about Helmuth and did not add any unnecessary plot just for the sake of the story. Overall, a great compelling and uplifting read.

Rating: 4 stars

Curricular Connections: Social Studies

Words of caution: The horrors of the concentration camps and the war are discussed and may be too much for students under grades 7. For this reason alone, I would recommend this book for children in Grades 7 and up.

Resources:

• Discussion Guide and Lesson Plans from Scholastic.
• Find out more information about Hilter Youth here.

If you like this book, try: Hitler Youth by Susan Campbell Bartoletti, The Diary of Anne Frank by Anne Frank, Number the Stars by Lois Lowry, or Brothers in Valor by Michael Tunnel.

   This year the Illinois School Library Media Association (ISLMA) has created a new book list for students in grades 3 to 5 called the Bluestem Award. Students, teachers, and librarians select a list of books for the award. Students elect their favorite book in April with the help of their teachers and librarians. The book with the most votes will win the award. This is the first year of the Bluestem Award. One of this year's nominees is Grace Lin's The Year of the Dog.



Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None.

Curriculum Connection: Social Studies, Art

Resources:

• Find more information about the Bluestem Award here.
• Learn more information about the Chinese New Year here.
• Chinese New Year crafts from Enchanted Learning.

If you like this book try: The Year of the Rat by Grace Lin or The Project Mulberry by Sue Park

  There is always a bittersweet feeling when you finish a series. Sometimes you love the characters and their world so much that it is hard to let go. There are also times when you wish some series would just finish because storylines and characters drag on and on. Thankfully, I felt the former when I finished Fire Study last night. I read the first half of the book in a couple of hours and tried to slow my pace but ultimately failed. This series is very hard to put down!


Review: Snyder delivers another excellent adventure. I was never bored or felt that the book dragged. Although there is a bit too much going on with both international and local conflicts than the last two books, I was never lost. In fact, I had a lot more questions that I hoped were going to be answered when I finished the book. My questions were answered as I enjoyed the twists and turns of the last book. The author deftly balances the conflicts between Ixita and Sitia against Yelena's personal struggles.

   One of the many themes discussed in this series is the notion of power and the abuse of it. Is magic benefical? And if so, how much do you use and when should you use it? These are the questions that plague Yelena, especially when she is needed to help her kingdom and friends. While the first two books show Yelena the good, the bad, and the ugly side of magic, she must decide who she wants to be. Yelena has her own unique set of powers, but she is also very vulnerable to become addicted to it and use it for her own selfish purposes. Magician Roze Featherstone is a harbinger of what Yelena can become. Both share similar powers and personal traits. Even after the book ends, Yelena knows what could happen and must work harder to resist temptation. As Uncle Ben told Peter Parker: "With great power comes great responsibilites."

  The book ends with a possibility that there may be other storylines in the series. I do very much hope that there will be other books, but I'm very satisfied if there are none. I know that Yelena, Valek, and the others will have more adventures when I read the last page. I'll just miss them.

Rating: 5 stars

Words of Caution: There is more violence in this book than in the first two books in the series due to a war between two kingdoms. There is mild language and suggestions to sex.

If you like this book try: Storm Glass by Maria V. Snyder and Lips Touch Three Times by Laini Taylor

  I finished Magic Study, the second book in Study series at midnight. Though I'm a bit groggy today, it was well worth it. Magic Study is an excellent follow up to a solid first novel and steers clear from the notorious sophomore novel failure. I will try my best to write a spoiler free description and review. Here goes...

Rating: 5 stars

Words of caution: There is a bit more violence in the second book, which takes place in the background. Rape and torture are also mentioned. There is also references and suggestions of sex, which is expected from the main lead pair, but nothing graphic. Highly recommended for teens and adults.

If you like this book, try: Fire Study by Maria V. Snyder and Storm Glass by Maria V. Snyder

   One of the many things that I love about my job as a librarian is discussing books with my students. After recommending Kristin Cashore's fabulous books (Graceling and Fire) to a student of mine, she came back and told me that I "have to read the Study series". Of course after more probing, I was told that if I wanted a "strong female heroine, with a great cast of characters, a wonderful story arc and world building in the realms of fantasy and romance" then this was the book for me. Ironically, that was how I pitched Cashore's novels. I guess teens do pay attention, huh? ;)

   While on Spring Break, I picked up Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder, the first book in a trilogy. I was instantly swept away and could not believe I had not discovered this book or author before. So, thank you, Clarisse for your awesome suggestion!




Review: I'm very tired of reading endless amount of books where the heroine isn't nothing but eye candy for the hero and she is ultimately dependent on a male to save herself. Yelena's story is a fresh breath of air. She is a fighter in every sense of the word. She is determined to stay alive regardless of what obstacles stand in her way. She initiates self defense lessons and investigates on the various poisons that could be used to kill the Commander. Though she can be stubborn, she does realize when she needs help and isn't afraid to ask for it. 
     Yelena has a dark past, which is shown through flashbacks and how she interacts with the minor characters. I found the country Ixia fascinating and would love to read more of its history. Besides Yelena, my other favorite character is Valek. Valek...*swoon*. He reminded me a lot of Mr. Darcy in Austen's most popular novel, Pride and Prejudice, because of his cool, standoffish, arrogant, mysterious persona. He is a man that has many tricks up his sleeves and not one that you can completely figure out. It was a blast reading his and Yelena interactions and banter.
    Overall, I would highly recommend this series to anyone who may be a bit skeptical about fantasy and romance. While there are elements of both genres, none of them are too overwhelming to turn off the reader. I look forward to finishing this series. Actually, I'm already in the 5th chapter of Magic Study, which is book 2 in the series.

Rating: 5 stars

Words of caution: There is a scene of rape and flashbacks of torture. Nothing too graphic, but enough details to let the reader know what is taking place. Thus for this reason, I would recommend it to high school and up.

If you like this book, try: Graceling by Kristin Cashore, Fire by Kristin Cashore, the Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins, and Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder

With the recent news of natural disasters plaguing the world, this title was very chilling to read. Like its companion novel, Life as We Knew It, Pfeffer focuses on the same event: the moon being thrown out of orbit by an asteroid and the chain of related consequences. After describing what happened in a rural Pennsylvania town in the first book, she now turns her attention to New York City.


It is refreshing to see a family of color (in this case a family from Puerto Rico), be the main cast of characters and not be type cast in participating in gangs, poverty, etc. as we tend to see on TV. Alex may seem too could to be true, but I applaud his strength and courage to help his sisters by whatever means necessary. The concept of family, faith, and hope are integral to the characters and the crux of the story. The Morales family is faced with struggle after struggle, everything ranging to the plausible deaths of their family members, making sacrifices, and the desperate attempt in seeking food and shelter. Alex and his sister's faith, morals, and hopes of surviving are continuing tested. The scenes where Alex goes to the Yankee Stadium and 'body shops' with his friend are chilling and refuses to leave my mind after I finished reading the book.  While I was reading the book, I kept asking myself what would I do in Alex's position. I would like to believe that I would be strong like him, but I'm not so sure.

I'm looking forward to reading the next book by the author called This world we live in, which will bring readers up to speed with what happened to Miranda and her family from the first book.

Words of Caution: There are many scenes of disaster and images of death that may be too much for elementary school readers. I would recommend this book to 7th graders and up, particularly to those who enjoyed Life as We Knew It.

Rating: 4.5 stars

If you like this book, try: The Carbon Diaries 2015 by Staci Llyod